Every team in the NFL has two or three backs who are offensive contributors to some degree … except the Tennessee Titans. In the modern era of the NFL, no team has committed to the run and one player in particular (Derrick Henry) as much as Tennessee. Even at the height of their careers, LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson had a backup to carry some of the load. Not the Titans.
Last year, Henry had 382 touches in 16 games (349 rushes, 33 receptions). The second most carries by a running back was Hassan Haskins with 25 – 12 of those coming in the one game Henry missed.
This hasn’t been unusual. Since becoming the full-time starter in 2019, in 55 games, Henry has rushed 1,249 times – an astonishing 23 carries a game. Most players are lucky to rush 23 times once or twice a year, much less averaging that number over a four-year span. Head coach Mike Vrabel has built his offense around Henry, and no running back in the league is even close to the level of playing time that Henry gets. This may be the “Last Dance” in the Henry era, but the offense remains designed for Henry to run 25 times.
Derrick Henry
Henry hasn’t provided much as a consistent receiving threat, but when you rush as many times as he does, who needs to be a receiver? In the last four seasons, Henry has averaged 23 carries for 110 yards and a touchdown. Getting anything as a receiver in that span (88 catches and two touchdowns) is a bonus.
Despite consistently posting elite numbers, Henry has never been the consensus No. 1 overall pick in drafts because of the constant fear that his rushing style and workload will lead to injuries. Outside of sitting nine games in 2021, Henry has missed just three games in his other six seasons.
Anyone who had Henry on their roster since 2019 has likely enjoyed success because of his backbreaking weekly scoring potential. Until the Titans show a change of heart with how the offense runs, which is possible as new coordinator Tim Kelly looks to open up the aerial game, Henry is going to be the most utilized running back again this season, and another monster year is likely on the horizon.
Tyjae Spears
The Titans are being forced to look at life after Henry given his record-setting workload. The team drafted Spears in the third round of this year’s draft. In the current trend of devaluing the running back, that’s a significant investment.
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Spears dominated at Tulane, averaging 6.8 yards a carry and scoring 34 touchdowns in 33 games, including 21 TDs in 14 games last season. However, he is far from being a Henry clone. He’s undersized by comparison (5-foot-9, 201 pounds) and is an explosive runner in space – not a between-the-tackles banger. Change is on the horizon with the Titans offense, and Spears’ selection may be an indicator of the direction the franchise will be going. For the short-term, he looks to be a third-down receiving back (even though he only 48 passes in his college career), occasional spell back, and insurance policy. Spears already is running as the team’s chief backup to Henry.
Hassan Haskins
A fourth-round rookie from Michigan last year, Haskins rushed 25 times and 21 of those came in two games. He served as the de facto backup to Henry but rarely saw the field.
Complicating matters for Haskins on top of the franchise drafting Spears a round higher than him this spring, he was allegedly involved in a June domestic violence incident in which both Haskins and his girlfriend were arrested. The NFL takes a dim view of any reports of domestic violence, so the potential exists that he could be facing a suspension or punishment from the organization – never something good for a marginal player who can easily be released and replaced.
Fantasy football outlook
Henry is 29 and entering the final year of his current deal. He has as much motivation as anyone in the league to have a big season to make the Titans’ decision more difficult, add to his legacy, and show that 30-year-old running backs still can dominate. That said, there is a lot of tread off the tires – they’re not bald, but they’ve had their share of wear and tear.
While I (begrudgingly) agree that Christian McCaffrey and Austin Ekeler should be the RB1 and RB2 overall, respectively, in fantasy drafts, be willing to roll the dice with Henry as the No. 3 back to come off the board. He’s a generational talent who needs to hit the wall for gamers to warrant losing faith.
When it comes to the classic handcuff maneuver, don’t reach for Spears. The only time Henry ever missed significant time due to injury, the Titans didn’t go to their backups. They had stashed D’Onta Foreman on their practice squad, because his skill set replicated Henry’s. If Henry goes down, this offense is predicated on a power-back lining up seven yards deep, which means Spears may not be fully “the guy.” He’s still worthy of rostering as a No. 5, and Haskins can be ignored during drafts.
